Diverging Paths
by nothign to see here
Summary: Devil Survivor.  An interpretation on how the protagonist's and Naoya's relationship differs with the routes he chooses to take.   Naoya x MC
1. Kingdom of Saints

Wow, two stories in one day. There's a first time for everything, I guess!

Anyways, this idea came to me yesterday, and ever since, it's been floating around in my noggin, flailing around to get out. Plus, there needs to be more Devil Survivor fics!

So yeah, this is just my interpretation of the results of the endings of Amane's, Naoya's, Yuzu's and Atsuro's routes and how they effect Naoya's and the MC's relationship.

This fic's central characters will be Naoya and MC. There's also bromance, so expect some snuggling. And perhaps some other good stuff. If that turns you off, click "Back" right now.

There's also a possibility of OOC-ness...although, how OOC you can get with a silent protagonist is debatable. So, OOC-ness from Naoya, I guess?

I also tried to keep the MC nameless, which is why there's such pronoun abuse. It might get confusing later on, but I hope it's not too bad...

Aaaand as usual, my writing suffers from massive degeneration throughout the whole story. This is actually the firs time I'm writing in the present tense... I'm also very tired, so there may be mistakes... Please bear with me? |D;;

And if it wasn't already obvious, there will be SPOILERS.

**NAOYA and MC were designed by SUZUHITA YASUDA and are characters that belong to ATLUS. I DON'T CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF THEM.  
**...if I DID own them, Naoya would've appeared much more often and would've had more sprites and would've visited the MC at night to do stuff Imeanwhat. Though, his sprites DO go with what he says, and I suppose him disappearing for five days kinda adds to the mysterious "what is he planning" feel to him... But seriously. Keisuke has more expressions than he does, and that's saying something.

_NOTE: This chapter takes place after Amane's route._

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_**~*Kingdom of Saints*~**_

In a just world, a world where crimes are no longer committed, where sin is punished gravely, there can only be lasting peace.

He had sifted through many human souls, discarded of the ones that were tainted. He had purged many people in the name of God. He was creating a world where there would be no strife, no conflict, only peace for the pure-hearted.

And yet, he doesn't feel fulfilled.

His friends are all with him, though he feels a steady gulf growing between them—the more humans he judges, the less human he becomes. He knows that, because of the power of Bel, they will eventually leave him, eventually ascend to the higher plane, perhaps to join the ranks of the angels.

Is that why he feels so empty? Perhaps. But there's something else…

Piercing red eyes and beautiful silvery hair comes to mind. The man that means more to him than life itself… His cousin. His brother.

The man who hadn't hesitated to attack him once he knew he had aligned himself with God.

His real name was Cain… The man who had taken his life—the life of his own brother—eons ago. But to him, he would always be Naoya.

There were times when his humanity briefly returned, when the millions of lives he took came back to haunt him. His friends knew nothing about this—all they saw was the boy who had discarded his identity to be the Messiah.

He had never killed before becoming the Messiah. In Tokyo, he didn't take a single life. And suddenly, he finds that his white cloak is stained with the red of human blood, so much like the colour of the eyes of the person he loves so much.

He wonders if his own blood is red anymore.

As of late, he has wanted nothing more than to throw himself into his brother's arms, like he used to a lifetime ago. Not as Cain and Abel…but as the cousins they are supposed to be.

But does Naoya hate him for opposing him, after everything Naoya's done to nurture and protect him?

These are the things he ponders as he walks around the city, a shadow of its former self—everyone is afraid to sin, afraid to live.

The moon is bright tonight, despite borrowing its light from the sun. Its light scours the shadows, purges them, much like how he purges the shadows of humans.

But there is one shadow that the moon misses.

His heart skips a beat as he stares into the shadow.

Red eyes stare back at him.

His desire to throw himself at the silhouette is strong, but he can't bring himself to move. Instead, he can only whisper his name.

"Naoya…"

With a swish of his cloak, the figure turns and heads off into the shadows once more. It is then that he finds the feeling in his legs and gives chase to the person he's longed to see.

"Naoya!"

He follows Naoya through a network of secluded paths, situated so that it is like a labyrinth—easy to get lost, impossible to escape.

Much like how he has lost himself in his messianic duties.

Eventually, Naoya stops, and they are in the light of the moon once more so that he can clearly see Naoya's back. He still looks the same—same haori, same white hair, same sandals…

It reminds him of when everything was normal, when there were no demons, when it was just the two of them. But those times are long gone.

For a while, the only sound is the soft, cool breeze rustling the leaves of nearby trees. Then, Naoya breaks the silence.

"Why did you follow me?"

Why did he follow him? He doesn't know how to answer. Simply saying "I wanted to see you" doesn't seem to be appropriate.

Naoya continues. "Have you come to judge me for my sins as well?" Contempt is evident in his smooth voice, and it hurts, hurts so much that he can barely form the words in his mind.

"…How have you been?" he asks, when he finally finds his voice. Naoya turns around, scrutinizing him with his red eyes.

"Really, cousin. I asked first, so you should answer first."

He gives in and blurts, "I wanted to see you!" He longs for Naoya's arms around him, yearns to bury his face against Naoya's chest so he can listen to his steady heartbeat, just like how he used to.

"Oh? And why would God's judge want something like that? I'll ask again; have you come to judge me too?"

He shakes his head. He doesn't know why, but his eyes are stinging, and he feels a lump forming in his throat. "Nothing like that! I've just… I've just missed you, Naoya…"

"Hmph." Naoya says nothing else, but in a flash, he is in front of him, the point of his knife at his throat.

He gasps when he feels the cold steel against his flesh. "N-Naoya…"

"…What's the matter?" he asks, sneering at him. "You're strong enough to finish me… What are you waiting for?"

"…You sound like you want to die," he replies, barely keeping his voice from shaking.

"Perhaps I do. And when I wake up again, maybe your wretched rule will be over."

He shakes his head again. "I won't kill you…"

Naoya's face darkens, and he presses the tip of his blade against the boy's neck, so that a trickle of blood falls. Naoya leans in—frightened, he tries to pull away, but Naoya grips his shoulder tightly.

"I killed you before…" he whispers into the boy's ear. "I stabbed you until the ground ran red. I made you suffer… So won't you hate me?"

"No…"

Naoya grits his teeth, gripping the boy's shoulder even harder. "Hate me, brother…"

"I can't hate you, Naoya!"

"Why not?" He drags the blade along his neck, causing a thin, shallow cut. The boy whimpers.

"I just can't… I can't hate you! How could I hate my cousin…"

"…So, what is it that you feel for me, brother?" He narrows his red eyes. "It can't be love…"

"No, you're wrong… I do lo—"

"Don't lie to me!" He digs the blade deeper into his neck, deep enough to hurt, but shallow so that it misses his artery. The boy cries out.

"I killed you once," Naoya says, whispering again. "And I will do it again, unless you stop me."

"S-stop it…" He can't stop the tears anymore. "Stop it… It hurts… Onii-chan…"

At this, Naoya tenses, and the hostility in his eyes fades. "…What did you just say?"

His emotions, which had died with the first human he judged, suddenly return with his tears. "Onii-chan… Onii-chan…!"

Naoya grits his teeth. "You…" He removes the blade from his neck and raises it above his head. The boy's eyes widen, but he eventually resigns to his fate and braces himself for his own cousin to stab him.

But the blade never comes. The sound of metal clattering to the ground resounds throughout the place. When he opens his eyes again, the pale hand gripping his shoulder is gone, and instead, he sees Naoya, who has turned away. His hand is over his eyes, and his silver hair is like a curtain, obscuring his face.

"Damn it… Why do you have to look at me like that?"

He can't stop himself anymore—he throws himself at Naoya, flinging his arms around the man and hugging him tightly, trembling.

He hears the man sigh. "Come on, don't be like that." He cups the boy's cheeks, wiping his tears away with his thumb. "You're the judge of humanity. There's no room for tears."

"How can I be the judge of humanity when I no longer have it?" he sobs, burying his face against Naoya's chest again. "I don't know what to do anymore…"

He feels Naoya's fingers stroking his hair. It's consoling, and it reminds him of how it used to be. "What are you talking about? I think your humanity's perfectly intact." He hears the man chuckle wryly. "It's probably mine that needs to be worked on."

The boy just shakes his head, but he can't bring himself to say anything else and just continues to let out his tears as Naoya holds him, the tears that he's held back for so long.

Eventually, he stops trembling and the wetness in his eyes dry. The cousins stay like that for a few moments, before Naoya whispers into his ear again.

"I have to go."

Before he can stop him, Naoya pulls away and turns around. The boy suddenly feels cold.

The man begins walking, but stops when he hears the boy's voice; "Wait… Naoya…"

He sighs. "What is it, cousin? I don't have a lot of time, you know."

"…I want to see you again, Onii-chan…"

His response is another sigh. "Don't you remember who I am? The angels are after me, so I have to keep a low profile. I can't be careless." He speaks this so freely that it almost makes the boy feel guilty. "Besides, what would they do if they saw you with me? Probably nothing too pretty—you could be seen as a traitor, at best."

He can't seem to find the words to answer this, and he can only watch as Naoya continues walking.

And then, Naoya turns so that he can see his face. "…I'll make it easy for you to find me." This is the last thing he says before he disappears into the shadows once more, leaving him by himself.

The sun is beginning to rise when he decides to return, and the light warms him. He feels like a heavy burden has been lifted off his shoulders—deep down, Naoya still loves him and the thought of seeing him again makes him feel light-hearted.

He stops for a moment to enjoy the sun's warmth, and he notices that his white cloak has been stained with blood from his wound.

His blood is still red.

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NOTE: _Onii-chan _is Japanese for "big brother." I'm usually not too big on the bilingual bonus kinda thing, but I just think that "Onii-chan" sounds a lot more endearing and cuter than "big brother" or "big bro". Or "mon frère". (*tomato'd*) So yeah. Just in case you didn't know.

I hope that wasn't too confusing. |D Anyways, read and review? You'll make me very happy.

The next chapter will be Naoya's route.


	2. King of Demons

You know that feeling when you think something's such a good idea, and then when you go to sleep and wake up the next morning, it seems like a totally stupid idea? Yeah, that's kinda how I felt about this story this morning. FFFFFFF... Oh well, I hate leaving things unfinished (*cough*don'tlookattheotherfics*cough*), so I'll get this one done. There still needs to be more DeSu fics! ;w;

I guess I can't expect a review for a while, since the fandom's so small, LOL. Oh well.

And...uh...wow. This chapter is like half the length of the first one. hdjhjakEnlfjawkdkneaksd Maybe I should shorten the first one? It DOES seem to go on and on... Ah, whatever.

**I DON'T OWN NAOYA OR THE MC. THEY WERE DESIGNED BY SUZUHITA YASUDA AND BELONG TO ATLUS.  
**If only I could draw as well as Suzuhita Yasuda... We're talking about the artist of the Durarara! manga here! ...But anyways.

_NOTE: This chapter takes place after Naoya's route._

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**_~*King of Demons*~_**

"Are you well enough to be up?"

Naoya looks up at the sound of his voice, and his red eyes meet his cousin's blue ones. He smirks at the boy.

"Of course I'm well enough. Who do you think I am?"

The boy frowns and, in Naoya's opinion, he would look cute if he wasn't wearing his imposing black cloak. No—he still looks cute even with it on.

"What's with that look?" he continues on. "Don't you have faith in me, cousin?"

"Of course I do! But you were hit by such a powerful attack… Your wounds are still recovering, aren't they?"

Naoya chuckles, turning his gaze from the boy's blue hues to the red sky outside. "You're going to grow old before your time. You shouldn't worry so much."

"How can you tell me NOT to worry?" he bursts out. "It's my fault you were injured in the first place!"

"Oh come now, none of that." He moves over, patting the boy on the head. "I'm fine, see? Besides, you didn't exactly get out unscathed either."

The boy looks down guiltily. "Even so…"

Naoya sighs, growing a little impatient, but carefully concealing the fact that he feels touched by his cousin's concerns. "This conversation's just going to keep running around in circles if you don't drop the subject, already."

"It's 'cause you're so stubborn, Naoya…"

"Who's the stubborn one, hmmm?" he retorts, pulling on the boy's right cheek.

"O-ow! Hey! Don't treat your Overlord with such disrespect!"

Naoya smirks again. "That's more like it." He lets go of the boy's face, patting his cheek. "Now that you've quieted down, I can finally ask you: how are _you _feeling?"

"I'm fine, thanks to you…" Naoya knows he has dropped the subject, but he still seems troubled as he walks towards the window, staring out at the crimson sky. Naoya doesn't inquire; he knows his cousin well. He will eventually tell him what is on his mind.

And after a few moments, he does. "Naoya… Do you think we're doing the right thing?"

"…Oh?" Unbeknownst to him, Naoya smiles, amused. "What's this all of a sudden?"

The boy looks down at his feet. "I mean, I'm glad no humans have been killed yet, but… Fighting against God… It's going too far, isn't it?"

"Going too far? I think not." Naoya walks closer so that he's standing behind the boy. "Even so, it's too late to back down now, brother. You shouldn't worry about the humans; the angels assume you don't care about them, thanks to your apparent neglect of them."

He knows this, and the guilt of it all plagues him like an illness. "Yuzu… And Keisuke, and Midori… I wonder how they're doing…"

Naoya says nothing in response, just stares over the boy's head and out at the red-tinted earth.

All of a sudden, he speaks again. "Naoya… Why did you save me?"

"Hm?" He looks back down at the boy. "…Do you really have to ask?"

Silent for a moment, the boy turns to look up at his older cousin, his large blue eyes searching Naoya's red ones. "Did you do it because we're cousins?" he asks. "Or…did you do it because I'm the King of Bel?"

Naoya offers him a mysterious smile, with an equally cryptic response. "A bit of both, I suppose."

The boy sighs and turns around again, his eyes at his feet once more. "…Whatever the reason, don't do that anymore, okay?" He clenches his fists, though his cloak hides it. It doesn't conceal, however, his trembling frame. "If you died, I…"

He doesn't finish his sentence, but Naoya sighs and wraps his arms around the boy from behind him to comfort him. "You shouldn't fret so much…" he says, his voice soft. "Every one of us is nothing more than a pawn to you. Once we outlive our usefulness, discard us. That will save you a lot of trouble in the future." He rests his chin on the top of the boy's head. "That's the way things are in this world."

The boy shakes his head. "You're wrong, Naoya… You're not my pawn. Nor are Kaido, Atsuro, Mari…" He looks up at Naoya. "Everyone is a precious friend to me!"

"…You're too soft, brother." As he says this, though, he holds the boy tightly. "You'd better be careful—the angels could use that to their advantage, you know."

The boy closes his eyes, leaning against Naoya. "…I know." He starts trembling again.

The silver-haired man frowns. "…What's wrong? …You aren't scared, are you?"

He is mildly surprised by the answer. "…A little."

"…Well, aren't you an honest one." He leans in to whisper into the boy's ear. "Don't be afraid, brother. We're fighting for a good cause."

"A…good cause?"

"That's right… If we win this war, we can have a world of freedom, a world where no one will suffer from unjust judgement. Your friends will live without fear… And so will we. A world that is just for us…" He smirks again.

"A free world…huh…?" He seems a little less troubled now. "A world without fear?"

"That's correct." He strokes the boy's cheek, notes how soft his skin is despite the battles he's been through. The action seems to relax him, and the anxiety that was so evident in his tense figure dissolves.

He speaks up again. "But there will always be fear, Naoya… Even if we defeat God, won't the people just hate me instead?"

"Perhaps," Naoya replies thoughtfully. "Of course, that depends on how you rule them. Will you be a kind king?" he asks. "Or will you rule with power?"

"What do you think?" The boy pouts accusingly.

"There you have it. But remember, we have to win no matter what the risks. If we lose, we're finished—and so is the rest of humanity."

"I understand, Naoya," he says with a grim resignation. Naoya wonders about the stress he must be feeling from bearing such a heavy burden.

"We will win. Don't worry." He holds the boy tightly, protectively. "And until the day we win, I will protect you, King of Bel… And my beloved little brother."

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Yeeeeah, can anyone say cheesy? :B Anyways, hope you enjoyed this read. x)

If it wasn't clear already, I'm only doing these particular routes because these are the routes where Naoya and the MC interact. That's pretty much all the routes except Gin's, so yeah.

'neways, if you read it, hope you enjoyed! x)

The next chapter will be Yuzu's route. It also might not come for a while, since I haven't started on it yet. Feel free to kick my ass/PM me if you think I'm taking too long. xD


	3. Desperate Escape

I got the first review for this story today! This makes me so very happy. Thanks to _hikari the darkness _for reviewing on this fic! :D I wasn't planning on working on it today, but the review motivated me to complete this chapter, so thanks!

I'm just letting you know, but the MC is kinda helpless in this chapter. Because I can and helpless little boys are my kink. *SHOT* I WAS KIDDING exceptnotreally, but yeah. ...I probably disturbed a lot of people with that comment. orz

**I don't own the characters or anything blah blah blah YOU KNOW THE DEAL.**

_NOTE: This chapter takes place after Yuzu's route._

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_**~*Desperate Escape*~**_

His legs feel like rubber, but he forces himself to keep running somehow. He pants as he ducks into an alleyway, taking many turns. He senses his assailants in hot pursuit, close on his trail, even as he desperately tries to lose them.

However, these hopes are dashed when he comes to a dead end. Dread fills him. "No…"

He hears quick footsteps behind him, and he turns to see a demon tamer and his demons. "Nowhere to run, kid," he says, smirking.

All of a sudden, hot pain jolts through his body and he cries out as the force of the demon tamer's spell throws him against the wall that has trapped him. He crumples unceremoniously onto the ground, barely retaining his consciousness. He can hear footsteps growing louder, but he doesn't have the strength to look up at his assailant.

"Game's over, kid." He can hear the mockery in the demon tamer's voice. "Too bad God didn't favour you more, eh?"

The boy closes his eyes and awaits his end.

All of a sudden, there's a startled cry and more footsteps; these ones are slower and softer, as if the owner were treading near a sleeping beast and making a conscious effort not to rouse it.

"You really don't know anything, do you?" He hears a familiar voice, smooth and soft, yet radiating authority. "Ignorant children should just be quiet to avoid sounding like idiots."

"Wh-why you—"

"Enough. You're just wasting my time." He doesn't know what happens next, but he hears a strangled yell from the demon tamer and a thud.

The newcomer speaks once more. "Hmph. Better to be silent and thought the fool, than to speak and remove all doubt…"

Then, the boy feels gentle hands turning him around and sitting him up slightly, allowing his head to rest on a forearm. His vision is unfocused, but he can make out the man's face.

"Naoya…" he murmurs, his mind still registering the fact that he's not dead.

Naoya smiles down at the boy. "Hello to you too, cousin."

His body aches as though he has been stabbed by a thousand knives, but he manages to sit up without Naoya's support, and he hugs him tightly around the neck. "N-Naoya…"

The man rubs his back, like how he used to back in their childhood. "Is that the only thing you can say right now?"

"Sorry…"

He chuckles. "No, don't apologize. Can you stand?"

The boy doesn't answer, so he helps him up—even so, he seems to have trouble maintaining balance. "Look at you, you're a mess," he chides. "I'll bring you back to my apartment. Is that okay with you?"

He doesn't say anything, merely leaning on Naoya a little more. Naoya takes that as consent.

"Alright… Let's go."

The journey back is slow. Naoya walks with his arm and part of his haori around the boy, so he has to adjust his pace—they have to take frequent breaks to let the boy rest.

On one of these breaks, he decides to speak. "I'm glad you're safe, Naoya…"

"Hm?" Naoya gives him an all-too-familiar smirk. "What, did you think I'd be dead? I'm surprised you have so little faith in me, cousin."

"No, it's not that…" he hugs Naoya and buries his face against the taller man's chest. "It's just that… I haven't seen you since the lockdown, and it's so dangerous now, so I thought… "

"…Well, I'm touched, but there's no need to worry about me. You know how I am." The boy can't tell whether Naoya is being genuine or just teasing him. "Now, come—we've wasted enough time here."

They are attacked on the way back, but Naoya is able to fend the demons off without sustaining so much as a scratch. They manage to make it back to his place without any further incident.

The apartment has remained relatively unchanged from how he remembers it. The living room still sparsely furnished, though he notices a few extra things, such as a generator and some COMPs—however, they seem like unimportant details at the moment. A futon is conveniently lying about, and Naoya gently eases the boy into it.

"Just rest for now, alright?" Naoya's voice is gentle, so different from when he had played his little "game" with the group during the lockdown. "Give me a holler if you need anything."

He's about to stand up, but the boy quickly reaches out to grab his haori. "Wait… Naoya… Sorry, can you just…stay with me for a bit…?" He knows he'll be safe in Naoya's presence, but he's still shaken from his narrow escape from death.

He's afraid that Naoya won't indulge him, but to his relief, he sits back down.

They are silent for while before Naoya speaks. "So, what happened?"

The boy looks away. "I don't know… He just attacked me out of nowhere…"

"And you didn't fight back?"

"We were all worn out by other battles…" He shuts his eyes. "It's scary out there… You never know when you'll get ambushed… Demons freely roam the streets… The sky's always red…" He opens his eyes to look at Naoya again, distressed. "…It's my fault this happened, isn't it?"

"Well now, I wouldn't say that," Naoya replies pensively. "I was the one who devised the plan to help you."

"But you couldn't possibly have—"

"Couldn't possibly have what? Known that this would happen?" He stares at the boy in the futon, his red eyes boring deep into the boy's soul. "I knew exactly what would happen."

The boy gasps, disbelieving, feeling a little betrayed. "…So then…why…?"

Naoya reaches out to stroke his hair. "Mistakes exist so that you can learn from them, brother," is his cryptic response.

"But…still…! Because of you, the world's in a wreck…!"

"What, suddenly you're blaming me? You're the ones who decided to try and break out." Naoya closes his eyes, withdrawing his hand from the boy's head and sighing. "The world has always been a wreck, brother."

"Wh-what are you talking about…?"

"Heh… It's been a wreck from the start… It's just gotten worse over the generations." His face contorts suddenly, with anger and annoyance. "It's because He is flawed too…"

"Who…?"

Naoya seems to catch himself and shakes his head. "It's nothing. Ignore me. You should get some rest."

He begins to protest, wanting to talk to Naoya more, but he presses his index finger to the boy's lips.

"Shhh. What did I just say?"

The boy pouts a little, but his eyelids suddenly feel heavy. He hasn't slept well since the world's collapse, having to maintain constant vigilance, and what little sleep he manages to get are plagued with nightmares. But he feels so safe and warm in Naoya's futon, with Naoya so close to him, that he drifts off into slumber's arms.

His sleep is fretful, as always. He dreams that his friends and family are falling to the demons, if not already dead, their mangled bodies strewn about the bloodied ground. They call for his help, before screaming in pain as the demons kill them slowly. He tries to run over to them, but something is holding his feet down. He looks down and sees that he is standing in a pile of bloodied bodies, their hands grasping his ankles. They look up at him, their eyes completely red and overflowing with hatred, blood running freely from their mouths, to say the same thing.

_It's your fault… You made this happen…_

He wakes up screaming.

He's panting heavily as he takes in his surroundings and panics, but then he remembers that Naoya had taken him here. He sits up, feeling cold and shaken, then hears some quick footsteps.

It's Naoya. "…I heard screaming." He walks quickly towards the boy and kneels down beside the futon. "Are you alright?"

He nods shakily. "Nightmare…" he mutters, before wrapping his arms around himself, shivering a little.

"I see…" Naoya reaches over and pulls him close, enveloping him with his haori, and warmth. "Do you mind talking about it?"

He shakes his head, clinging to Naoya's clothes as if he were clinging to life. "Sorry…"

"Don't apologize," Naoya murmurs, stroking his hair in a consoling manner. "Just tell me when you want me to let go."

In truth, he never wants Naoya to let go. He wants to stay in his arms forever, or at least until this living nightmare is over. He doesn't tell Naoya this, of course, but he just rests his head against Naoya's chest, revelling in the warmth, feeling the safest he's ever felt since the lockdown ended.

After a while, his breathing is even again; he has fallen asleep. Naoya smiles and eases the boy into the futon once more. He seems to be sleeping peacefully now; his expression is calm. Naoya leans in to kiss the boy's forehead before moving to pull away, when he realizes that one of the boy's hands is gripping the haori like a lifeline.

He frowns a little; staying here until the boy wakes up doesn't seem to appealing, but he doesn't want to risk waking him up by removing his hand. Instead, he shrugs off the haori, and gently lays it over the boy, tucking him in. The boy snuggles unconsciously into the clothing.

Naoya smirks, amused at how snug the boy looks, and he kisses him gently again; this time, on the lips. He stands up, gazing at the sleeping boy. _Sleeping beauty, _he muses, then chuckles at the thought.

"Sweet dreams, my dear brother…"

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YAAAAAY, THEY KISSED! :D *SHOT. Again.* Yeah, so that was that chapter. My writing just degenerates throughout the whole thing, doesn't it... orz I hope it didn't get _too _bad, though, haha.

So... The next chapter will be the last one unless I write another one for the lulz. Though, that's highly unlikely, unless people want me to write one. xD And it'll be the first time I completed a multichap fic. Ever. I'm so proud. :D

The next chapter will be Atsuro's route. However, since everything is more or less back to normal, it might take a little longer... No worries, though, I have a beginning planned out, and once I have a beginning, it won't take me much more to get started. x)

Anyways, reviews are always appreciated. :3 Thanks for reading!


	4. Silent Revolution

Phew, last chapter! This is the quickest I've ever finished a story that isn't a oneshot (though most of my stories are oneshots, so that doesn't really say anything, eh?)... Actually, I think I've taken longer on oneshots than I have on this one. But whatever. :D

Anyways, my writing is... Yeah, you know the deal. I think it was at its best at the beginning of the story, but now it's just...yeah. Fffffff, I hope you can find it in your heart to deal with it! |D

Thanks to _Wyla_ for the reviews for the last two chapters! ^^ They really made my day. x)

**Devil Survivor © Atlus and Naoya and MC were designed by Suzuhita Yasuda BLAH BLAH BLAH DISCLAIMER  
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_NOTE: This place takes place after Atsuro's route._

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**_~*Silent Revolution*~_**

"_Onii-chan!" _

_He looked down at the little blue-haired boy pulling at his sleeve. "What?"_

"_Why were you arguing with Mommy and Daddy?" The boy's eyes were filled with curiosity and innocence._

"_I wasn't arguing with them. We were just having a discussion," he said._

"_But they sounded kinda mad…" The boy frowned. "They weren't mad at you, were they, Onii-chan?" _

_He sighed, patting the boy on the head. "You're too young to understand right now."_

_His little cousin pouted, and Naoya nearly gave in to the urge to wrap his arms around him and squeeze him. "I'm seven years old, Naoya!" He called him by his name just to show how "grown up" he was. "Don't treat me like a kid!"_

"_You're asking too much of me," Naoya replied, pinching the boy's cheeks._

"_Aaaaah! Onii-chaaaan!" He squirmed, trying to get the older boy's hands away from his face._

_Naoya chuckled, patting him on the head again. "Yeah, you're definitely not a kid," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. _

_The boy pouted again and threw his arms around his cousin. "You're so mean, Onii-chan…" _

_Naoya grinned. "I know." Then, he buried his face against his little cousin's blue hair. "…Listen. You should always fight for what you believe in, no matter who opposes you."_

"_Onii-chan…?" _

"_You're too young to understand right now… But you're the one who chooses your own path. Don't let other people's decisions sway you."_

"…_Is that why you were arguing with Mommy and Daddy?"_

_Naoya pulled away to look at him, blinking. "…You know, you're actually kinda smart. I'm surprised."_

"_Onii-chaaaaan!" _

He finds Naoya sitting on a bench in the park, staring out at nothing. The man doesn't seem to notice him, giving him the opportunity to sneak behind him and throw his arms around his shoulders.

"Boo!" he says, and Naoya actually looks surprised.

The man frowns, a little irritated. "Don't do that."

"What?" He offers a sly grin. "That didn't actually scare you, did it?"

"…Hmph." Naoya smirks, closing his eyes. "Of course not. I just expected a more civil greeting from you, cousin."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing. Pay it no mind."

The boy pouts and moves over to sit beside Naoya. "...You got my e-mail, right?"

The man says nothing, continuing to stare at the people walking about.

He turns so that he's facing Naoya and both his hands are on the bench. "It's way past the meeting time."

"…Your point?"

He frowns. "Don't tell me you got lost. The meeting place was—"

"I know where the meeting place was, cousin," he replies, looking down at his cousin. "I've been living in Tokyo for the last few years—I should know my way around by now."

"…So why weren't you there?" The boy frowns. "Are we just too good for you, Naoya?"

"Hah!" Naoya laughs. "Keep dreaming, brother." He turns his gaze to a distant tree. "I have my reasons for being absent."

"And those are…?"

"Hmph. Did you forget already? I fought you during the lockdown."

"You also helped us."

"Even so, I don't think your friends have quite forgiven me yet. If I'm there, things will only be awkward."

He raises an eyebrow at the boy's questioning face. "…What?"

"…You were actually thinking of us?"

"Don't mistake me. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to spend my time in company who would shoot me suspicious glances half the time."

"Oh…" The boy looks down now. "And here I thought you cared…"

Naoya sighs. "What makes you think I don't care?" He cups the boy's chin and tilts his face up. "Hm?"

"Well…"

"…You're wary as well, aren't you? All the more the reason I shouldn't go." He withdraws his hand from the boy's face.

They are silent for a while. He feels a little awkward. Naoya had his reasons for his actions, didn't he? But those reasons had set him apart from everyone else, and he wonders if the man felt lonely.

For lack of a better thing to say, he asks, "Say, Naoya… Do you remember what you told me when we were little?"

"I've told you many things, cousin. You're going to have to be more specific."

"'You should always fight for what you believe in, no matter who opposes you,'" he smiles when Naoya turns to look at him, surprised. "…right?"

Naoya is quiet for a moment. "…I'm surprised you remembered that," he says, closing his eyes and smiling. "You really are quite sharp…"

"No wonder I'm your cousin, hmm?" The boy's smile widens. "Everyone was fighting for what they believed in… And they knew you were too. So that's why, I think it'll be alright…"

"Don't be stupid. It's not that simple, you know. Nothing will change the fact that I fought you and your companions." He sighs; he seems a little disappointed.

This doesn't escape his notice. "Are you lonely, Naoya…?"

"Lonely? Of course not. I'm just thinking about what could have been…"

Now it's his turn to be disappointed. "I wish you'd just drop this whole 'king of demons' thing already, Naoya…"

Naoya smiles wryly. "…And I wish that you'd call me 'Onii-chan,' just like how you used to when we were little."

The boy blushes. "Wh…wha… Wh-where did that… That has nothing to do with anything!" he stutters, embarrassed. Naoya smirks.

"Whatever. I'll get another chance someday," he replies, and he ruffles the boy's blue hair, much to his chagrin.

"That's lame, Naoya!" he cries, swatting at that hand. "You're gonna make my bedhead come back…!"

Naoya chuckles and pulls his hand back. "Well, I should get going now," he says, standing up. "I'm a busy man, after all…"

He pouts again and follows suit. "You certainly had enough time to come sit here for who-knows-how-long…"

"Even I need a break sometimes, you know. But that was long enough." Naoya turns. "It was nice talking to you," he says, before beginning to walk away…

…Only to stop when he feels smaller hands grab his own hand. He frowns and looks back to see his cousin looking up at him imploringly.

"Won't you come with me?" he asks, his blue eyes pleading. "It'll be fun. I promise."

Naoya sighs, running a hand through his silver locks. "I have some work to do, cousin. I was commissioned to write another program."

"What will it summon this time, unicorns?"

"That's not funny," Naoya replies, poking the boy in the forehead and eliciting a squeak from him. "In any case, I have to go."

He pulls his hand away, but the boy throws his arms around his waist instead. Naoya stares at him disbelievingly and the boy pouts.

"I'm not letting go until you agree to come with me."

"This is getting ridiculous—"

"What do you have against hanging out with us, anyways?" he asks. "It's not like my friends want to kill you."

"Nevertheless, they're still cautious, and hanging around that sort of company isn't good for one's blood pressure," Naoya replies, and he feels a migraine coming.

"Yeah, well, neither is staying in a demon-infested city, but I didn't see _you_ complaining…"

The man sighs. "I'm going to be stuck here for hours if this conversation goes on…"

The response elicits a pout from the boy. "Then come with me, for God's sake!"

Naoya's eyebrow twitches. "Don't swear by Him in front of me…"

"I can swear by whoever the hell I want!" He starts pounding on Naoya's back. "Stop being so difficult!"

"Cut that out," he reprimands sharply, turning around and grabbing the boy's wrists. "Are you a child?"

He's still pouting when his blue eyes lock with Naoya's red ones. "You don't want to spend time with me, Onii-chan…?"

Naoya lets go of his wrists in surprise, and the boy uses it as an opportunity to throw his arms around his waist. He's staring up at Naoya earnestly—the man could've sworn the fake tears (he knows the boy isn't crying because he can tell his cousin is amused, much to his chagrin) only accentuate the cute expression he's attempting to pull—with his big, blue eyes…

"Please? Do it for me, Onii-chan…?"

Moments later, Naoya finds himself being dragged off by the arm by his cousin, who is now chatting animatedly about the things that they're going to do, and he thanks whatever deity who is watching over him—because it definitely isn't God—for making sure that his cousin didn't think about using such an adorable countenance against him during the lockdown.

* * *

And with this, this story is complete! :3 I hope the writing wasn't too bad, but I felt like it just kinda went on and on...

Haha, anyways, maybe I'll write another Naoya x MC fic soon. I love these two so much. Also, I'm wanting to write a Keisuke x Midori fic, 'cause I love'em as much as I love Naoya x MC. No joke. Ohhh, but I wouldn't mind my fix of Gaysuke and Atsubro... : D *gets pelted with rotten tomatoes*

Reviews are always appreciated. :3

Thanks for reading! ^^


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